African Entrepreneurship Records

   Chapter 282 "Progress" of the Sultanate of Zanzibar

   October 17, 1870.

  Zanzibar Island, Rare Palace.

  The Rare Palace stands at the west end of Stone City and is part of the Sultan Palace. This magnificent building has 40 thick columns, and 60 black slaves are buried alive under each column.

  The old Said passed away last year. With the support of the East African Kingdom, the young Said has become the new monarch of the Sultanate of Zanzibar. The young Said is very clear about his ability, that is, to continue to maintain the political normality of the Zanzibar Sultanate.

  "Minister Lemons, what is your country's intention! We Zanzibar people rely on the slave trade to get by. If the slave trade is cancelled, I honestly don't care, but the ministers and businessmen below will not agree. If I agree to your country's conditions, I can also step down." Little Said complained to East African Minister Lemons in Zanzibar.

   "Your Excellency Said, please don't get me wrong. It is not our East African Kingdom that forces Zanzibar to cancel the slave trade. This matter is essentially for the sake of Zanzibar."

   Sipping coffee in an oriental teacup imported from the Far East by the royal family of Zanzibar, Lemons continued to analyze slowly: "Nowadays, Europe is banning the slave trade more and more, especially Britain and France. They are the executors. We in East Africa don't care much about slaves, but we can't influence public opinion in Europe. Your country should have felt it over the years. The British have recently been more and more aggressive in inspecting the slave trade in the Indian Ocean."

  Little Said sighed and said: "We also know this, but the people below will not give up the huge benefits of the slave trade. This is related to the livelihood of tens of thousands of Zanzibar people. Even I, the monarch, cannot control the thoughts of my subjects. If I run counter to the ideas of the people, I, the monarch, will do it!"

   "Don't worry, Your Excellency Said. Generally speaking, East Africa is still very clear about the national conditions of the Sultanate of Zanzibar, and we will not make things difficult for your country. We in East Africa have prepared a plan for you in this matter." Lemons said.

   "Oh! I wonder if your country has any good solutions?" Saeed asked curiously.

   "First of all, the slave trade must not continue to exist. You have recently found a time to announce the abolition of the legitimacy of the slave trade, first announcing the abolition of slavery at the legal level of the Sultanate of Zanzibar."

   "This matter can be done, but is it just in name?"

   "Of course not! Since the slave trade is to be abolished, it is natural to perform a full set of tricks. Of course, I am not saying that the slave trade is really abolished, but to make the slave trade more high-end and covert." Lemons explained.

   "I don't know how to do it!" After hearing that Lemons didn't really want Zanzibar to abolish slavery, Little Said felt a little relieved.

   "The first point has just been said, the abolition of slavery at the legal level, so that the Zanzibar regime is not considered a slavery country in law. The next step is to package the original slave trade. The slave trade has been boycotted by various countries, but the employment of workers is legal. All slave trade business groups under the control of the Sultanate of Zanzibar must replace the slave trade with legal labor export companies. In foreign exchanges and commercial activities, it is emphasized that "national laborers" go abroad to earn foreign exchange."

   "If it's just that, Mr. Lemons, don't worry, we can still do it." Little Said said.

  Lemons shook his head and said: "Things are not so simple. Since it is labor export, there is no longer a slave ship. You must improve the living conditions of the "labor" transport ship. We don't force you to do a good job. At least it can be seen in the past. Before going to the Middle East, these "labor" should have relatively decent clothes and a certain amount of room for movement. They can no longer be squeezed into narrow shelves like goods."

   Little Saeed had a hard time hearing this: "Mr. Lemons, aside from other things, the cost of clothes alone is not a small sum of money. What's more, giving slaves more space will reduce the number of slaves on board, and earn less money. The slave traders will not agree."

  Lemons said: "Clothes can also be reused. Just give slaves a set of clothes from Zanzibar to the destination, and then take them off after arriving at the destination. They can be reused next time. It doesn't cost much. As for the reduction in slave transportation and less money, it's better than being caught by other countries and failing to do business!"

   "You are right about this, but the slave trade is a voluntary act of merchants, and they also have to calculate the cost. I am afraid that many people will not implement it well, especially our system in the Sultanate of Zanzibar, so we do not have much restraint on these merchants." Little Said said.

   It would be nice if the Sultanate of Zanzibar could receive a little tax from these slave traders, and the Sultanate of Zanzibar itself participated in the slave trade, and the royal family was the beneficiary of the slave trade.

  Lemons said with a smile: "Your Excellency Said, as long as the Sultanate of Zanzibar can supervise its own citizens, it will be fine. The slave trade is a profiteering industry, and you make a lot of money. It doesn't cost much to buy clothes for slaves. We in East Africa can help you with this, and we can provide mechanized production of clothes at a cost price."

   "That is to say, Zanzibar nationals have flexibility. They can be Zanzibar citizens, but they can also be Oman citizens, or even Ottoman citizens. It is difficult for us to define their identities. How to supervise them?" Little Said asked rhetorically.

    "It's easy to handle. Learn from East Africa to establish a household registration system to determine the identity of Zanzibar citizens. If you don't agree to become a Zanzibar citizen, you don't have to force it. But if something happens, you can shirk the responsibility on other countries. Oman and Ottoman are fine. But the ugly word is up front. We will assist you in this household registration system. Don't try to be clever." Lemons said.

"Household registration system?"

   "Yes, issuing identity certificates to residents can effectively identify the behavior of your Zanzibar nationals at sea."

   "I guess the ministers will not agree to implement it." Little Said shook his head and said, he didn't think his subordinates would accept this suggestion.

   "It is the will of the Kingdom of East Africa to implement it if it is not implemented. For the smooth progress of these plans, our Kingdom of East Africa will strengthen the garrison of the Sultanate of Zanzibar. At the same time, because of the incident of the British arresting the ship a few days ago, we believe that the current situation of the Sultanate of Zanzibar is a bit dangerous. For the strategic security of the Kingdom of East Africa, the national defense of the Sultanate of Zanzibar will also be included in the military defense system of the Kingdom of East Africa."

   Having said so much, East Africa’s true intentions have been revealed. Zanzibar Island is related to the strategic security of the East African coast. Naturally, it is impossible to allow Zanzibar Island to stay outside the defense system of East Africa.

  Little Said looked a bit ugly, but he held back. In fact, East Africa has always had a garrison in the Sultanate of Zanzibar, and it was just near the palace. There were only a few hundred people, but little Said would not joke about his own safety.

   "I don't know how your country plans to strengthen the Zanzibar garrison?"

   "The important ports and strategic locations of Zanzibar Island are all included in this plan. We will increase the number of troops to 3,000 people, and at the same time, the forts will be taken over by the East African Artillery Force." Lemons read out the East African decision.

   "Then... ok! We fully accept the decision of the East African Kingdom." In the end, Little Saeed still couldn't be tough.

  Lemons patted Said on the shoulder with a smile and said: "Don't worry, East Africa's strengthening of Zanzibar's defense is mainly to deal with countries outside the region, not against the Sultanate of Zanzibar itself. Old Said was our old friend in East Africa before, and our East Africa still supports the rule of the royal family of Zanzibar."

  Lemons gave little Said a reassurance, which can be regarded as a verbal commitment to the continued existence of the Sultanate of Zanzibar.

  …

   October 21, 1870.

   After Lemons made a "friendly" persuasion to the ministers in Zanzibar, the Sultanate of Zanzibar agreed to all the requirements of the Kingdom of East Africa.

  On the same day, the Sultanate of Zanzibar issued legal provisions, completely announcing the abolition of slavery, and all slaves were granted free status. At the same time, the Sultanate of Zanzibar no longer engaged in slave trade, and prohibited official and private slave trade in the Sultanate of Zanzibar.

  At the same time, East Africa also began to plan the defense work of the Sultanate of Zanzibar, including Zanzibar Island in the East African defense system, increasing the garrison of Zanzibar Island, and rebuilding the defense fortifications of the port.

  As for the slaves in the Sultanate of Zanzibar who were freed again, they signed employment agreements with their former owners. At the same time, a large number of registered "labor companies" appeared in the Sultanate of Zanzibar the next day, nominally providing labor services for the Middle East and other regions.

  (end of this chapter)